Dr Anna Beavis Highlights Importance of Addressing Gender Gaps in HPV Vaccination

If we don't close the gap in gender differences in HPV vaccination, we will likely see an increase in HPV-related cancers, explained Anna Beavis, MD, MPH, a gynecologic oncologist fellow at Johns Hopkins University.

Transcript

What consequence will we see if gender differences in HPV vaccination are not addressed?

If we don’t close the gap in the HPV vaccination disparity that we see by gender in the United States, then we’ll likely still see a reduction in cervical cancer, but not as big a reduction we could see if we vaccinated both boys and girls. For both boys and girls, cancer of the mouth and throat, as well as anal cancers, that are associated with HPV, those will continue to increase. We’re already seeing an increase in those HPV-related cancers, especially in boys.

Are there any efforts you see right now aimed at closing these gaps?

Yes. There are a multitude of efforts. Some are at the state level, some are at the healthcare system level, some at the physician level, and others are at the community level. I think it’s going to take a very diverse and varied approach at all of these levels in order to improve vaccination rates.